Resources

The case analyzes attempts by Fidelity Investments to navigate the changing financial services landscape through the establishment of Fidelity Labs, an in-house innovation engine that was chartered to experiment, validate and develop new technological solutions. It explores some of the business implications of core technological changes that are sweeping through the financial services industry and in doing so helps them gain a better appreciation of the potential impacts of the 4th Industrial Revolution as it relates to financial services and investments.

Retail shopping models had long been considered binary – either e-commerce or bricks & mortar – but in practice we observe a broad spectrum between these two extremes.  This case explores the many hybrid models emerging like ordering online and picking up in-store (Walmart’s Grocery Pickup), shopping in-store and ordering online (Warby Parker and Bonobos made their name in this space – largely facilitating the showroom behavior of consumers), digitally-enhanced physical shopping (several companies hold patents in this space with virtual reality promising to push this model), and many others.

Despite globally recognized product quality (primarily measured in terms of longer vase life), Ecuadorian rose growers were finding it extremely difficult to achieve attractive levels of profitability. As one of Ecuador’s chief exportable products, and generating more than 100,000 jobs, the industry needed to change. How could this small Latin American country re-imagine how it competes in this global market in 2018 and beyond?

In 2018, Coda Coffee was paying three times the commodity exchange rate for raw coffee beans and their supply chains reached from Denver all across the world. How could AI, machine vision, blockchain, and IoT help Coda Coffee – and their suppliers – ensure that this premium pricing was translating into higher income for the coffee farmers?

This case explores the strategy behind Intel’s move beyond traditional semiconductors in pursuit of new growth. Reflecting the effectiveness of the role that strategic marketing had played in its historic success, Intel sponsored an Industry 4.0 informational series to shape the agenda around next generation technologies – and to promote awareness of the core underlying components of cyber-physical systems, IoT, cloud computer, cognitive computing, and AI. Company executives reasoned that a proactive digital convergence strategy would position Intel for an emerging future that would be more interconnected and data-driven than ever.

This case reviews the strategy behind the creation of a democratized marketplace to enable the use of artificial general intelligence (AGI). What principles should guide the creation of a platform designed to empower companies that could not afford customizing their own AI to access AI Agents that would subcontract to and collaborate with other AI agents to create customized solutions to meet specific needs.

This case discusses how IBM viewed the broader opportunity for blockchain in 2014. How could IBM distinguish blockchain technology from the cryptocurrency for which it was known and attract large clients to adopt IBM’s approach to the emerging technology? If successful, what should be the priority applications for IBM blockchain?